jesimps

Think of the Taffies. There's a 20mph speed limit in some areas of Wales, thanks to the lefty devolved government.

Interesting. Did you fit the plastic sheet to the inside or outside? Did you get it from a popular hardware chain?

Being an ex civil servant, my state and civil service pensions are taxed in UK at source. The government grabs it before the residue is paid to me. I assume this would make me exempt here, but who knows. It remains to be seen if I remain here or am forced to return to the dreaded land of my birth.

About time too.

I don't know if it would work for you, but I used to have a migraine attack about once a week. Just the coloured lights, very rarely a headache. I lived with it until I had an attack whilst driving on the motorway, when I was virtually blind on my left-hand side. A friend recommended daily Cardiprin tablets which contain 100mg Aspirin. Since I started taking them, a couple of years ago, I can count the number of attacks on one hand. The result has been nothing short of miraculous. Not for people who bleed easily.

Obviously it's because they want you to use an agent. I noticed that during this year's marriage extension at Jomtien, Dragon Lady was more unwelcoming than previously (if that's possible). Either the boil on her asre is getting bigger, or it's deliberate policy to force you into using the brown envelope route. When I went straight to the usual spot to the left of counter 6 to collect my stamp after the confirmation from Bangkok, Dragon Lady told me very abruptly to sit down and wait to see the lady to her left, who took another ten or fifteen minutes processing a farang's application. In previous years I'd been told not to get a ticket, just to go to the left of the counter for the stamp. You never know what surprise they have in store for you at that place. If I had more money than sense, then I too would take the agent route. I know when I'm beaten.

Surprised? Not even slightly. Best just to keep your head down and hope that the locals eventually sort this corruption in high places.

One way to avoid this sort of thing is to travel to Bangkok yourself and do the process via the official agent in the Trendy Building. That way, your passport never leaves your person. I would never trust a courier, an agent, or anyone else on the planet with my passport. If ever I'm away from the house and have the document with me, I always keep it in a zipped pocket. I'm no goody two shoes, but the loss or damage of that small piece of cardboard and paper can cause a massive siht-storm. Sorry, I can't be of any help in offering a solution.

So is using the word bigotry for any opinion you disagree with.

I did my Nth marriage extension at Jomtien last month and the one-month confirmation from Bangkok was due yesterday (Sunday). I've been checking the new app which I was given, but the message hasn't changed from when I first downloaded it. I figured that since I'm on one day overstay as far as my visa stamp is concerned, that I'd visit Jomtien this afternoon to check. The lady IO didn't check the tray and sharply told me that if it didn't appear on the app (which I don't have much faith in) then they hadn't received the confirmation. This will be the first of many confirmations that hasn't been on time. Grateful to know if anyone has used this app successfully recently and did the confirmation arrive by the due date?

Nor do Prayuth, Suthep and a long line of coup makers. Not forgetting the Red Bull heir and other rich drunk drivers. Plus the many other corrupt politicians, policemen and local officials. The list is endless and is normal for Thailand. Surely you aren't surprised?

How about a big strong elastic band?!

Hand? The wife's phone is stuck to her face!

I think it's all to do with religion. If you believe in a supernatural being then it follows that you must believe in ghosts. After all, what else is a supernatural being? It follows that the stronger the belief in religion, the firmer the belief in ghosts.

I had the same a couple of days ago, wouldn't log me in on chrome username and P/W. Tried my gmail details and that worked ok. Went back to Chrome login but entered phone number instead of email and it worked ok. Also use Shopee so no real problems.

I once saw a guy that I knew get turfed away from Jomtien for wearing a "wifebeater" vest. He was a body building type and liked to show off his muscles. He cam back 15 minutes later in a white shirt which he bought up on Beach Rd. Don't know if they still have the same policy, but I too always wear longs and a smart shirt with collar. Doesn't hurt to do it once a year to get something from them that they have and I really want.

I live very close to a temple and I can say that the only advantage is that it isn't too far to cart me when it's my turn to be sent up the chimney. I can't hear the chanting, which I wouldn't mind listening to, it's the high-powered hi-fi blasting out bass-heavy pop music that drives me mad every time there's a wedding , or some youth turns up for monk duty. Not to mention the dozens of vicious dogs which inhabit the place, which bark all night and are very threatening if you attempt to walk to the village. A place of peace and serenity it is not.

Only two onto one?! "He is now under close medical supervision as he has suffered cerebral haemorrhage." For the Thai apologists, this guy didn't just get a thump for his cheek, he was beaten very severely and could have died.

A quarter tab should be sufficient. Was for me anyway until my late 60s. Any more and it was like having a third leg. Buy a pill cutter to make chopping them up easier.

Your byline takes me back to my second day in Pattaya, when I woke early morning in Pattaya slouched across an outside table. Fortunately, my wallet seemed to be intact and I managed to get a motorbike taxi to take me to my hotel. Good job I remembered its name because I couldn't have directed him. It seemed to be an awfully long way way though. After sixteen years of living here, I still have no idea of where I ended up.

Yes, recommend Ban Chang, especially it's afternoon bar sessions. Bang Saen always looked fairly boring to me, however, never spent much time there and usually only went to visit daughter who was a university student and rented a flat there. That was several years back though.

"Me, west coast near San Francisco. Liberal." We guessed.

It's called dark humour. You were obviously never in the armed forces.

Thais are great ones for shortcuts, they just can't resist them. Take the central reservation between lanes of a dual carriageway during roadworks. Anywhere that there's space to squeeze a bike between bollards becomes an unofficial track across to the other lane. Often followed by them riding against the flow of traffic. It's not as though going to the correct u-turn requires any legwork. Bless them.

It's mainly women that go to Gambia, surely? The old fat ugly ones that play hard to get in the UK and cause us elderly hansum men to come to Thailand for the pretty pleasant easy to engage local women who think we're a good catch ????